Roger Revelle is equipped with an extensive suite of navigation and communications instruments and devices. This equipment allows precise navigation and control of the ship and worldwide communications in voice, data and facsimile. A number of the more prominent systems and devices are listed below and described.

CELLULAR TELEPHONE - The captain is equipped with a cellular telephone, but R/V Roger Revelle normally operates beyond the range of cellular networks.  

DATA COMMUNICATIONS - (See SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS.)

DEPTH RECORDING - There is a fathometer on the bridge. Maximum reliable soundings are ~300 meters.

Deep sea soundings are accomplished with the EM124 Multibeam, or the 3.5/12 kHz echosounder system. (See ECHOSOUNDING in Section 4.)

DIRECTION FINDING EQUIPMENT - A Simrad Taiyo medium frequency RDF is installed in the chartroom for navigational purposes. A VHF direction finder is scheduled for installation in the pilot house. This RDF will operate in the 110-170 MHz range. It is primarily used for locating autonomous vehicles at sea. Transmitters for use with this system are provided by the scientific group or arrangements for the appropriate equipment can be made with the Research Marine Technicians Group.

GYRO COMPASS - Roger Revelle carries two Sperry gyro compasses. In addition to these, the science acquisition primarily uses Kongsberg Seapath 330+ and a Phins Gen. III MRUs.  Several electronic devices, including navigation systems and the shipboard computer system, have inputs from the gyro compass.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS - Three installed systems facilitate internal communications around the ship - a household-type dial telephone, a sound-powered phone system and a mission announcement system. The directory for the dial phone system is posted next to each phone. The sound-powered phone has no external power supply. A list of stations is posted on each phone. To call using the sound-powered phone select the desired station. Crank the handle two or three times to ring the phone, press the button on the handset and talk. The button on the handset must be pressed both to talk and to listen. A public address system is operated from the bridge. It is used to make urgent pages and for emergencies. Instructions are posted by the various units.

NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT - Roger Revelle navigates primarily by Furuno GP-170 GPS. A doppler log is utilized for speeds. A full set of traditional navigation equipment is maintained onboard.

RADAR - Two Furuno marine radar are carried; an S band (10 cm) and an X band (3 cm). Radar consoles are located on the bridge. Do not touch this equipment without permission of the mate on watch.  One Furuno X-band science radar is in the electronics/computer lab for ocean waves data collection.

HAND-HELD RADIOS - The ship normally carries portable VHF and UHF marine radios. They are used for internal communications and small boat operations.

HF/SSB COMMUNICATIONS - GMDSS radio suite carried aboard.

SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS - Sealink C/Ku-Band is the primary satellite communications system on board.  Inmarsat FleetXpress service is the secondary system.  Sealink coverage is global, per cruise coverage will vary for FleetXpress. Current baseline bandwidth for Sealink is 4Mbps shore to ship and 2Mbps ship to shore.  Current baseline bandwidth for FleetXpress is 2Mbps.

SEARCH LIGHTS - There are two installed search lights to facilitate certain operations at night.

SPEED LOG - (See DOPPLER LOG in Section IV.)

VHF COMMUNICATIONS - (See HAND-HELD  RADIOS in this section.)